How to fix the US Federal Bureau of Prisons

Rehabilitation Programs: Lost Opportunities

Once a cornerstone of the BOP, rehabilitation programs like college courses and vocational training have been gutted. This category highlights the importance of skill-building for successful reentry, shares data on reduced recidivism rates linked to past initiatives, and critiques the short-sighted policies that prioritize cost savings over human potential.

The Bureau of Prisons: Sabotaging Its Own Reform Efforts

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Category: Rehabilitation Programs: Lost Opportunities

The First Step Act (FSA) was the most significant attempt at reforming the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) in recent history. Passed with bipartisan support, its intent was clear: to incentivize rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. However, the BOP’s resistance to these changes has been evident from the start. Rather than embracing the reform, the agency has viewed it as an administrative burden, reinforcing its long-standing practice of treating the prison population as a monolith rather than recognizing individual efforts at rehabilitation.

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The Bureau of Prisons’ Tablet Debacle: A Case Study in Missed Opportunities

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Category: Rehabilitation Programs: Lost Opportunities

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has finally followed the lead of county jails and state prisons by introducing tablets for inmates. To secure approval, BOP promised educational applications, including full access to Khan Academy and other basic learning tools. Many county jails even provide streaming media services, with variations of Netflix and Spotify, and access to thousands of eBooks through subscription models. But BOP’s implementation has been nothing short of a disappointment.

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